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Come Out, Come Out
A spine-tingling LGBTQIA+ YA horror about queer teens who accidentally invoke a twisted spirit who promises help but delivers something sinister.
Perfect for fans of Kayla Cottingham, Andrew Joseph White, and Ryan LaSala.
"A searing and poignant portrait of queer identity wrapped in an unflinching tale of terror." —Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight
"Modern horror at its best." —Bram Stoker Award Nominee Sarah Henning
It's never been safe for Fern, Jaq, or Mallory to come out to their families. As kids their emerging identities drove them into friendship but also forced them into the woods to hide in an old, abandoned house when they needed safety. But one night when the girls sought refuge, Mallory never made it back home. Fern and Jaq did, but neither survivor remembered what happened or the secrets they were so desperate to keep.
Five years later, Fern and Jaq are seniors on the verge of graduation, seemingly happy in their straight, cisgender lives—until a spirit who looks like Mallory begins to appear, seeking revenge for her death, and the part Fern and Jaq played in it. As they’re haunted, something begins to shift inside them.
They remember who they are.
Who they want to love.
And the truth about the vicious secrets hiding in their woods.
This delightfully dark and pointed novel calls out the systems that erase gay and queer and trans identity, giving space to embrace queerness and to unleash the power of friendship and found family against the real monsters in the world.
Perfect for fans of Kayla Cottingham, Andrew Joseph White, and Ryan LaSala.
"A searing and poignant portrait of queer identity wrapped in an unflinching tale of terror." —Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight
"Modern horror at its best." —Bram Stoker Award Nominee Sarah Henning
It's never been safe for Fern, Jaq, or Mallory to come out to their families. As kids their emerging identities drove them into friendship but also forced them into the woods to hide in an old, abandoned house when they needed safety. But one night when the girls sought refuge, Mallory never made it back home. Fern and Jaq did, but neither survivor remembered what happened or the secrets they were so desperate to keep.
Five years later, Fern and Jaq are seniors on the verge of graduation, seemingly happy in their straight, cisgender lives—until a spirit who looks like Mallory begins to appear, seeking revenge for her death, and the part Fern and Jaq played in it. As they’re haunted, something begins to shift inside them.
They remember who they are.
Who they want to love.
And the truth about the vicious secrets hiding in their woods.
This delightfully dark and pointed novel calls out the systems that erase gay and queer and trans identity, giving space to embrace queerness and to unleash the power of friendship and found family against the real monsters in the world.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2024
45 people are currently reading
10652 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
August 22, 2024
I love when a book I’m reading for the first time makes me nostalgic for another era of my life, and Come Out, Come Out catapulted me back to being 16, discreetly buying queer books in order to better understand a part of myself that wasn’t necessarily accepted. I just know that this book would’ve meant so much to that version of Liv.
While this is classified as horror, I found it less scary (as a bit of a wimp) because of how tied to societal issues the horror is. This is a really heartfelt book about accepting yourself when others around you won’t accept you, the power of queer community (especially in less accepting places), and what it really means to love someone, yourself included. It is aptly named as it focuses on the coming out of our two main characters, who are both queer people--one nonbinary and bi, the other a lesbian, both need to come out to themselves and the world. The coming out and acceptance of oneself is the meat of this book and I found it to be quite emotional. The horror aspects were done in a way that enhanced the story too. I think going into it pretty blind is the best way to approach this book because the characters themselves are starting out pretty blind, but I really loved this one and found it to be incredibly heartfelt. I’d recommend this to anyone, but especially recommend if you’re queer and have been/are still in a place that is keeping you in the closet.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc
book is out on August 27, 2024 <3
While this is classified as horror, I found it less scary (as a bit of a wimp) because of how tied to societal issues the horror is. This is a really heartfelt book about accepting yourself when others around you won’t accept you, the power of queer community (especially in less accepting places), and what it really means to love someone, yourself included. It is aptly named as it focuses on the coming out of our two main characters, who are both queer people--one nonbinary and bi, the other a lesbian, both need to come out to themselves and the world. The coming out and acceptance of oneself is the meat of this book and I found it to be quite emotional. The horror aspects were done in a way that enhanced the story too. I think going into it pretty blind is the best way to approach this book because the characters themselves are starting out pretty blind, but I really loved this one and found it to be incredibly heartfelt. I’d recommend this to anyone, but especially recommend if you’re queer and have been/are still in a place that is keeping you in the closet.
Thank you NetGalley for the arc
book is out on August 27, 2024 <3
December 7, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
This book has so much to offer, including great rep and an unsettling atmosphere. I really enjoyed meeting these characters and going along on this journey with them.
It wasn't always easy, actually it mostly wasn't easy, but I appreciated how Fern and Jaq both grew over the course of the story. There was some great messaging involved with both of their stories.
I also felt it was a nice balance between the Horror elements and the Contemporary elements. For me, certain issues, mainly the Horror bits, were wrapped up a little too easily, but overall, a strong Queer YA Horror novel!!
This book has so much to offer, including great rep and an unsettling atmosphere. I really enjoyed meeting these characters and going along on this journey with them.
It wasn't always easy, actually it mostly wasn't easy, but I appreciated how Fern and Jaq both grew over the course of the story. There was some great messaging involved with both of their stories.
I also felt it was a nice balance between the Horror elements and the Contemporary elements. For me, certain issues, mainly the Horror bits, were wrapped up a little too easily, but overall, a strong Queer YA Horror novel!!
April 18, 2024
Full of terrors both supernatural and all too real, COME OUT, COME OUT is a timely look at the true horrors of self-erasure, as well as a powerful meditation on acceptance and seizing hold of your own agency. Come for the scares, stay for the heart.
September 20, 2024
Come Out, Come Out is a queer YA horror novel addressing conversion therapy and coming of age as a young queer person in a family and community that is not supportive. It's about finding your voice, being true to yourself, and discovering found family when your own family isn't an option. It also wraps religion into the mix and is sort of a less intense younger cousin to Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle.
It follows two characters - Jaq is a lesbian and Fern is non-binary but they are expected to fit inside traditional gender norms as girls. When they were young teens, something strange happened to them in the woods and a friend of theirs disappeared, but they have little memory of what actually happened. It's disturbing at times, particularly for the ways they are pushed to conform and held back from saying and doing what they actually want to do. I did feel it was a bit on the nose at times and the ending was less satisfying than I wanted it to be, but I also think something written for teens can get away with being more direct. I liked it, just be aware there is a lot of depiction of homophobia, transphobia and more. The audio narration is okay but the narrator doesn't do distinct voices for the different perspective characters which made it hard to follow at the beginning. I received a review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
It follows two characters - Jaq is a lesbian and Fern is non-binary but they are expected to fit inside traditional gender norms as girls. When they were young teens, something strange happened to them in the woods and a friend of theirs disappeared, but they have little memory of what actually happened. It's disturbing at times, particularly for the ways they are pushed to conform and held back from saying and doing what they actually want to do. I did feel it was a bit on the nose at times and the ending was less satisfying than I wanted it to be, but I also think something written for teens can get away with being more direct. I liked it, just be aware there is a lot of depiction of homophobia, transphobia and more. The audio narration is okay but the narrator doesn't do distinct voices for the different perspective characters which made it hard to follow at the beginning. I received a review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
July 23, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. If youre a horror fan but also like books with real meaning, then this one is for you. This book sends out a really important message regarding acceptance, not only of yourself but of others, specifically in the LGBTQ+ community. Not only was it horror in the scary Paranormal sense, but also in the real life sense of not being accepted by your family and community. It also sends out strong messages of friendship, family, and love. There are many important things to take away from this novel. I'm not going to get deep into them as I think this is an important one to read for yourself. I'm rating this 4 stars as while I did overall enjoy this book, the beginning was a bit slow for me and I struggled a little but to get into it. Once the story picks up though, I flew through the rest. I'm really glad I gave this one a go.
dnf
August 9, 2024DNF @50%
I’m so unbelievably annoyed that this a DNF especially since this was a highly anticipated read.
This starts off as an unsettling queer horror since we know a girl from a trio of queer girls died, and her ghost is now haunting our two MCs five years later…and they are starting to remember things that they had forgotten. The biggest thing that they remember? Their queerness.
That transpires within the first 20% or so of the book. The book then moves into a meandering plot that focuses on the two MCs’ POVs and them falling for or remember girls that they were in love with. The book completely shifted from a queer horror to a coming of age story that centers coming out and queer love.
Now let me be clear, I love queer coming of age love stories, but not when they start off as chilling horrors that just deviates from the plot.
Ugh.
Thank you to PRH Audio & PenguinTeen for providing a review copy.
I’m so unbelievably annoyed that this a DNF especially since this was a highly anticipated read.
This starts off as an unsettling queer horror since we know a girl from a trio of queer girls died, and her ghost is now haunting our two MCs five years later…and they are starting to remember things that they had forgotten. The biggest thing that they remember? Their queerness.
That transpires within the first 20% or so of the book. The book then moves into a meandering plot that focuses on the two MCs’ POVs and them falling for or remember girls that they were in love with. The book completely shifted from a queer horror to a coming of age story that centers coming out and queer love.
Now let me be clear, I love queer coming of age love stories, but not when they start off as chilling horrors that just deviates from the plot.
Ugh.
Thank you to PRH Audio & PenguinTeen for providing a review copy.
January 10, 2025
This was a surprisingly dark story of transphobia, homophobia and child abuse, but it's also really hopeful, and has constant moments of light to get through the dark ones. It's made clear at the start of the story that Jaq, Mallory and Fern are Queer - but five after only two of them emerge from the forest, they seem to be living straight, cis lives, leaving the reader to puzzle out what happened.
The vibe often reminded me of Grease, the relationships and dated ideas mimicking the musical Fern is particpating in, in the story. The horror elements are frequent, and I liked how well balanced the story overall was, I really grew to love the characters and I was devastated by some of the events in the ending. There was one moment I felt was a little too tied up neatly that lost a star, but overall I loved this.
The vibe often reminded me of Grease, the relationships and dated ideas mimicking the musical Fern is particpating in, in the story. The horror elements are frequent, and I liked how well balanced the story overall was, I really grew to love the characters and I was devastated by some of the events in the ending. There was one moment I felt was a little too tied up neatly that lost a star, but overall I loved this.
May 29, 2024
The double meaning in that title has me flat on the floor.
The Haunting of Hill House with a splash of Riverdale and completely queer, this was somehow horrific and sad, heart-warming and optimistic, and absolutely riveting, all at the same time. It was definitely hard to stomach at times with the blatant homophobia (christian homophobes are some of the worst people in this world, and I say that AS a christian) and transphobia, but it has a happy ending that makes everything so worth it for both the reader and these wonderful characters. The story itself is excellently thought out with the injection of horror into the themes of self-discovery and acceptance, plus it never once lost my attention and was so well-written.
The Haunting of Hill House with a splash of Riverdale and completely queer, this was somehow horrific and sad, heart-warming and optimistic, and absolutely riveting, all at the same time. It was definitely hard to stomach at times with the blatant homophobia (christian homophobes are some of the worst people in this world, and I say that AS a christian) and transphobia, but it has a happy ending that makes everything so worth it for both the reader and these wonderful characters. The story itself is excellently thought out with the injection of horror into the themes of self-discovery and acceptance, plus it never once lost my attention and was so well-written.
June 2, 2024
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
i’m conflicted on how to rate this book, as i have mixed feelings towards it. i think it’s an important book for the lgbtqia+ community since it covers some important topics, like internalized homophobia, dysphoria and some religious themes, but i didn’t enjoy reading it as much as i expected to. the rep and how the characters’ evolution to fully being themselves were wonderfully crafted, but i found the horror bits to be lacking.
i truly loved how the book dealt with the heavier subjects it features. the commentary on feminism and what it represents to each of us, the way it brought light to how subtle homophobia can be and the way we follow these characters come to terms with the reality of who they truly are were so well-written. it’s very obvious that the author took their time to hone their craft and research the portrayal of what being queer can look like. i think the characters were very complex and, as a reader, you get to be in their head and see what they go through, which made for an interesting read.
however, since we spent so much time following the characters’ coming-of-age story, it felt like the horror bits were just thrown in there, without adding much to the novel. everything felt rushed, especially towards the end, and we’re left with a bunch of questions about the main “villain” of the book, since his lore isn’t explained much. the way the conflict was resolved wasn’t the best, in my opinion, as i didn’t see the characters do much research on what they were doing or what will work – they just went with the flow and hoped for the best, which was a bit disappointing. the horror parts we did get were well-written and i truly did enjoy reading them, but they felt more like an after-thought, rather than a main plot.
the relationships between the characters also felt a little rushed, especially jaq and her romantic interest, but i think some of that can be explained by the big reveal, so it didn’t bother me that much. i did like fern and jaq as characters, i think they worked wonderfully as main characters. i wish we would’ve gotten more information about the side characters, as they only played minor parts in the book. the friendship between mal, jaq and fern was interesting to follow and i appreciate how the author took her time to develop it during the flashbacks we got.
overall, i think this is a book worth-reading, even though i think the horror was too lacklustre for my taste. i can see “come out, come out” being a loved book because of its characters and the representation it offers.
i’m conflicted on how to rate this book, as i have mixed feelings towards it. i think it’s an important book for the lgbtqia+ community since it covers some important topics, like internalized homophobia, dysphoria and some religious themes, but i didn’t enjoy reading it as much as i expected to. the rep and how the characters’ evolution to fully being themselves were wonderfully crafted, but i found the horror bits to be lacking.
i truly loved how the book dealt with the heavier subjects it features. the commentary on feminism and what it represents to each of us, the way it brought light to how subtle homophobia can be and the way we follow these characters come to terms with the reality of who they truly are were so well-written. it’s very obvious that the author took their time to hone their craft and research the portrayal of what being queer can look like. i think the characters were very complex and, as a reader, you get to be in their head and see what they go through, which made for an interesting read.
however, since we spent so much time following the characters’ coming-of-age story, it felt like the horror bits were just thrown in there, without adding much to the novel. everything felt rushed, especially towards the end, and we’re left with a bunch of questions about the main “villain” of the book, since his lore isn’t explained much. the way the conflict was resolved wasn’t the best, in my opinion, as i didn’t see the characters do much research on what they were doing or what will work – they just went with the flow and hoped for the best, which was a bit disappointing. the horror parts we did get were well-written and i truly did enjoy reading them, but they felt more like an after-thought, rather than a main plot.
the relationships between the characters also felt a little rushed, especially jaq and her romantic interest, but i think some of that can be explained by the big reveal, so it didn’t bother me that much. i did like fern and jaq as characters, i think they worked wonderfully as main characters. i wish we would’ve gotten more information about the side characters, as they only played minor parts in the book. the friendship between mal, jaq and fern was interesting to follow and i appreciate how the author took her time to develop it during the flashbacks we got.
overall, i think this is a book worth-reading, even though i think the horror was too lacklustre for my taste. i can see “come out, come out” being a loved book because of its characters and the representation it offers.
September 10, 2024
I mean fuck that ghost in the woods, am I right!!
I think Natalie C Parker has become a must read author for me. Years ago, one of her books got me out of a massive reading slump, and everything that I’ve read from her since has been stellar. I loved these kiddos and was rooting for them so hard through their journeys. The narrator was a fantastic performer with a wide range of voices, and she had become a must listen slowly for me, as well. My ONLY qualm with the story is that I was hoping for a bit more of the friendship reconciliation earlier on, as I love the way Natalie C Parker writes friendship, but the kids were mostly on their own solo journeys in many ways. Still fantastic, but I’m greedy like that.
Fuck that ghost, and fuck those parents. We all gotta stick together and take care of each other.
I think Natalie C Parker has become a must read author for me. Years ago, one of her books got me out of a massive reading slump, and everything that I’ve read from her since has been stellar. I loved these kiddos and was rooting for them so hard through their journeys. The narrator was a fantastic performer with a wide range of voices, and she had become a must listen slowly for me, as well. My ONLY qualm with the story is that I was hoping for a bit more of the friendship reconciliation earlier on, as I love the way Natalie C Parker writes friendship, but the kids were mostly on their own solo journeys in many ways. Still fantastic, but I’m greedy like that.
Fuck that ghost, and fuck those parents. We all gotta stick together and take care of each other.
June 24, 2024
The cover and synopsis of this book left me intrigued, I was hooked. Kind of a slow burn at first getting into it, then enjoying the ride to the end. I think the representation in this book was done so well for a YA horror. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group and Natalie C Parker for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. PUB DATE AUGUST 27, 2024. #NetGalley #ComeOutComeOut
September 10, 2024
In the same niche as Camp Damascus, the conversion-therapy-as-horror genre. Similarities abound, even down to the senior class quarry jumps, which doesn’t indicate any co-opting of plot points but simply how ubiquitous this experience is, the same script across rural America, where any deviation from the script means there will be Consequences. A key plot point involves a gender-swapped/gender-neutral production of Grease, which is both fun and thematically relevant. Chuck Tingle nails the horror bits more effectively, but Parker nails the family/friends emotional dynamics very well. I’m glad that both exist.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2024
This was a chilling yet emotionally charged novel that blends the fears of coming out and horror. In a small town, we meet Fern and Jaq, who seem to lead ordinary lives until they suddenly realize they've been hiding the truth from themselves and the others around them. As they start to explore their feelings and learn more about what was hidden and taken from them by the all-protecting Patron, they band together to fight back for the hope of what their life could be.
unfinished
October 16, 2024This was a bit too high school for me at the moment. And a lot of long exposition, telling instead of showing.
September 9, 2024
Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C Parker, in the book we meet Jack and fern they go to the same high school but live absolutely different lives and on the surface wouldn’t look like they have much in common but boy oh boy do they have something in common. Fern is part of a dynasty at her high school because all of her sisters have had the lead in their high school musicals and when she’s not doing that she’s hanging out with her two best friends. Jack hangs out with the daughter of preach keech and her boyfriend John but when they both attend a party at a fellow high school students home they experience something that causes them to remember things they forgot. Is this also the reason Fern keeps seeing Mallory and who is the new girl trying to get close to Jack, that looks just like Mallory? Both girls are living with a secret possibly even more than one this book is a strange coming-of-age story about two teenagers who were so accustomed to living the way others expect it takes paranormal intervention to scare them into being who they really are. At least in a way! I finish this book a couple of weeks ago and didn’t know exactly how to do a good review because this book is so good I was shocked the rating was in higher than it is but having said that if you love great horror with mindbending dreams/reality a gender fluid Casting call and an unfortunate impending marriage then you definitely will enjoy this book it is definitely hard drama spine tingling breaches in reality and so much more. #NetGalley,# penguinGroupPutnamForYoungReaders, #NatalieCParker, #ComeOutComeOut,
August 27, 2024
If this had been a queer contemporary, it would have been stellar - with the “genderless” school musical and breaking free of rigid expectations and budding romances - but the horror elements were a square peg in the round hole of that very solid contemporary base. It was like every now and then (and I really do mean on rare occasion) Parker would remember that this was marketed as a horror novel and would throw in a little vaguely creepy moment.
Because of the addition of the horror elements, though, a lot of the side characters (particularly in Jaq’s half of the story) didn’t get a chance to bloom. Devyn existed to be objectively hot and give advice. John existed to be the nice boyfriend that we’re supposed to feel vaguely bad for.
There’s also a distinct lack of answers for what the rest of the world looked like during the Mallory/Fern/Jaq friendship (circling back to John the boyfriend in particular) and how Fern and Jaq were perceived afterwards. I dunno, the whole 7th grade section just felt so detached from the “present day” that I couldn’t puzzle out how we got there, regardless of the amnesia (did everyone else ALSO have amnesia??)
Major disappointment after the hype I had for this one.
{Thank you PenguinTeen for the complementary copy in exchange for my honest review}
Because of the addition of the horror elements, though, a lot of the side characters (particularly in Jaq’s half of the story) didn’t get a chance to bloom. Devyn existed to be objectively hot and give advice. John existed to be the nice boyfriend that we’re supposed to feel vaguely bad for.
There’s also a distinct lack of answers for what the rest of the world looked like during the Mallory/Fern/Jaq friendship (circling back to John the boyfriend in particular) and how Fern and Jaq were perceived afterwards. I dunno, the whole 7th grade section just felt so detached from the “present day” that I couldn’t puzzle out how we got there, regardless of the amnesia (did everyone else ALSO have amnesia??)
Major disappointment after the hype I had for this one.
{Thank you PenguinTeen for the complementary copy in exchange for my honest review}
August 13, 2024
2.5⭐️ honestly I was not a fan of this book at all. I appreciate the conversation around LGBTQ youth, homophobia, and repressing who you are to appease other people, however, this book lacked in plot and the horror elements in this book were not really present. To me, it felt like a story where two girls forget who they are and go on a journey to rediscover themselves which is fine but it did not live up to how this book was presented which was a horror book. I felt like this book dragged and took way too long for me to get through. I would probably skip this book if you are looking for a horror book.
July 8, 2024
I feel like this was more of a lgbtq+ coming of age story rather than a horror one. I think this book did a great job of navigating important topics, showing love, friendships, and found family. However, It felt a little rushed especially towards the end where the last 10-15% is just action packed. There was very little horror throughout and felt VERY YA to me.
I received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2025
Schon der Titel ist wundervoll zweideutig. Im Zentrum steht ein Lied, das an das bekannte Lied aus dem Zauberer von Oz anlehnt. Dorothy gilt seit jeher als Mensch, der jeden Menschen aus tiefster Seele unterstützt und jeden so nimmt wie er ist. Ebenso motiviert der Titel dazu aufzustehen und sich zu outen, was aber in der Kleinstadt, in der Jaq, Mallory und Fern Leben gar nicht so einfach ist.
Die Freund*innen sind fantastische Jugendliche, die in der Schule bemerken, dass sie anders sind. Zusammen suchen sie ihre Schublade, denn für ihre Familien steht fest, dass ihre Kinder schon aus religiösen Gründen den heteronormativen Maßstäben entsprechen müssen. Alles andere ist krank und nicht akzeptabel.
Der Horror Faktor wird hier nicht durch Blut oder Monster entfacht, sondern durch soziale und psychische Gewalt gegen queere Menschen, es ist kein klassischer Horror, er geht sehr viel tiefer in die Seele als ein Schwall Blut.
Natalie geht sehr respektvoll mit den Identitäten der Jugendlichen um und es wird knallhart gegendert, denn Jaq ist genderfluid und nutzt die Pronomen they/them. Wem das weh tut der sollte vielleicht lieber zurück in das kleine braune Loch kriechen aus dem man gekommen ist, denn dann ist ein Buch über den Kampf gegen Queerfeindlichkeit definitiv nicht die beste Lektüre.
Ich hatte mehr als einmal Gänsehaut, denn die Gedanken und Probleme dieser jungen Menschen haben mich emotional zerrissen. Die Repräsentation ist eindringlich und ich hoffe, dass auch Eltern mal reinschauen und ein Gefühl dafür bekommen, wie schwer es für junge Erwachsene ist, zu sagen, dass man anders liebt und sich anders fühlt.
Natürlich gibt es aber auch einen mäßig gruseligen Teil, denn Mallory passiert etwas Schreckliches, als die Jugendlichen sich im Wald treffen. Dieser Angelpunkt hat mir auch richtig gut gefallen und bringt neben einem milden Gruseleffekt auch wunderbare Metaphern mit, die das Ende ebnen.
Es ist super geeignet für junge Lesende im YA Alter, die der Welt offen entgegengehen und natürlich auch für alle jenseits der 16 Jahre. Das Buch bietet einen krassen Mehrwert für die Gesellschaft und ich habe jede Seite nur so aufgesaugt. Ein Must have im (digitalen) Bücherregal.
Die Freund*innen sind fantastische Jugendliche, die in der Schule bemerken, dass sie anders sind. Zusammen suchen sie ihre Schublade, denn für ihre Familien steht fest, dass ihre Kinder schon aus religiösen Gründen den heteronormativen Maßstäben entsprechen müssen. Alles andere ist krank und nicht akzeptabel.
Der Horror Faktor wird hier nicht durch Blut oder Monster entfacht, sondern durch soziale und psychische Gewalt gegen queere Menschen, es ist kein klassischer Horror, er geht sehr viel tiefer in die Seele als ein Schwall Blut.
Natalie geht sehr respektvoll mit den Identitäten der Jugendlichen um und es wird knallhart gegendert, denn Jaq ist genderfluid und nutzt die Pronomen they/them. Wem das weh tut der sollte vielleicht lieber zurück in das kleine braune Loch kriechen aus dem man gekommen ist, denn dann ist ein Buch über den Kampf gegen Queerfeindlichkeit definitiv nicht die beste Lektüre.
Ich hatte mehr als einmal Gänsehaut, denn die Gedanken und Probleme dieser jungen Menschen haben mich emotional zerrissen. Die Repräsentation ist eindringlich und ich hoffe, dass auch Eltern mal reinschauen und ein Gefühl dafür bekommen, wie schwer es für junge Erwachsene ist, zu sagen, dass man anders liebt und sich anders fühlt.
Natürlich gibt es aber auch einen mäßig gruseligen Teil, denn Mallory passiert etwas Schreckliches, als die Jugendlichen sich im Wald treffen. Dieser Angelpunkt hat mir auch richtig gut gefallen und bringt neben einem milden Gruseleffekt auch wunderbare Metaphern mit, die das Ende ebnen.
Es ist super geeignet für junge Lesende im YA Alter, die der Welt offen entgegengehen und natürlich auch für alle jenseits der 16 Jahre. Das Buch bietet einen krassen Mehrwert für die Gesellschaft und ich habe jede Seite nur so aufgesaugt. Ein Must have im (digitalen) Bücherregal.
July 15, 2024
My favorite part about Come Out, Come Out is the title itself. I love the play on words perfect for a horror story and a story rooted in LGBTQIA+ themes. With that being said I had a hard time giving this 3 stars.
When it comes to the horror aspect itself, it was underwhelming. There wasn't enough and it fell short for me. However, Come Out, Come Out incorporates important topics in the Queer community and I highly recommend this book for those looking for a diverse read. It's a great story of queer/trans teens finding friendship, coming out, and realizing who they are. These topics are what brought my rating back up.
Come Out, Come Out releases August 27, 2024.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced readers copy. This review was voluntary and are my own honest thoughts and opinions .
When it comes to the horror aspect itself, it was underwhelming. There wasn't enough and it fell short for me. However, Come Out, Come Out incorporates important topics in the Queer community and I highly recommend this book for those looking for a diverse read. It's a great story of queer/trans teens finding friendship, coming out, and realizing who they are. These topics are what brought my rating back up.
Come Out, Come Out releases August 27, 2024.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced readers copy. This review was voluntary and are my own honest thoughts and opinions .
January 26, 2025
This is a timely book with an important message, but unfortunately I don't think I was the right audience for it. The parts that were more contemporary dragged for me. A large part of this book were adolescent reflections and were deeply entrenched in high school, which was the least interesting part for me. This is less of a horror novel, and more of a queer coming of age story with horror elements, most of which were found in the very human, if horrible, hatred of queerness. Which is an important story to tell, but it wasn't what I was expecting.
January 8, 2026
It pains me to give a book by Parker one star as I really liked her older work. This book was too character driven, and too many details about the characters didn't lead to progression of the plot but actually hindered it. And where was the "horror?" I should have DNFed but this was a traveling book in my book club and high on my TBR. Misleading cover and blurb. Very disappointed overall.
August 29, 2024
DNFed at 11%
Thank you to netgalley and penguin random house for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw this book was a queer, young adult horror novel I had to get my hands on it but after starting it, i realized pretty early on it wasn’t for me. I felt as if it was written for a much younger audience and while I usually do well with young adult novels the age range of this intended audience can still highly differ from book to book. To me, it felt like this book would be perfect for someone in high school.
The reason I felt the need to dnf was mainly centered around the fact that this did feel written for a younger audience and other issues I had with the writing in general. Some sentences felt choppy, unrealistic, and just lacking detail which took away from the flow of the story and imagery that followed, making it hard for me to get into the flow of the book itself and to picture the events that took place.
I also found it lacking in the overall horror aspect. While it was creepy, the stakes just weren’t big enough for me and I felt the story had a lot going on and too many plot points to tackle at once and in doing so really put the horror plot on the back burner, but it did do well in tackling “the horrors of everyday lives”; the horrors of living as a queer person everyday are very real and very worth talking about and i do appreciate that this book attempted to do that.
While this book wasn’t for me, i do believe it could serve as a very important read for the right person at the right time in their life and I believe other readers could really get a lot out of a book such as this one.
Thank you to netgalley and penguin random house for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
When I saw this book was a queer, young adult horror novel I had to get my hands on it but after starting it, i realized pretty early on it wasn’t for me. I felt as if it was written for a much younger audience and while I usually do well with young adult novels the age range of this intended audience can still highly differ from book to book. To me, it felt like this book would be perfect for someone in high school.
The reason I felt the need to dnf was mainly centered around the fact that this did feel written for a younger audience and other issues I had with the writing in general. Some sentences felt choppy, unrealistic, and just lacking detail which took away from the flow of the story and imagery that followed, making it hard for me to get into the flow of the book itself and to picture the events that took place.
I also found it lacking in the overall horror aspect. While it was creepy, the stakes just weren’t big enough for me and I felt the story had a lot going on and too many plot points to tackle at once and in doing so really put the horror plot on the back burner, but it did do well in tackling “the horrors of everyday lives”; the horrors of living as a queer person everyday are very real and very worth talking about and i do appreciate that this book attempted to do that.
While this book wasn’t for me, i do believe it could serve as a very important read for the right person at the right time in their life and I believe other readers could really get a lot out of a book such as this one.
July 14, 2024
thanks to NetGalley for the eARC
⭐️=3.75 | 😘=2 | 🤬=3 | ⚔️=5 | 15+
summary: basically it’s about three queer people in a homophobic small town and a mysterious forest and a house but that’s a bad summary and I don’t know if the book itself even lives up to its premise?? (though it’s still good)
thoughts: so.
things I liked:
- this had really, really excellent pacing; everything was fast and moving forward in a way that made sense for both YA and horror.
- loved the characters! distinct in personality and experiences of queerness.
things I didn’t get:
- the entire supernatural element was kind of confusing to me? like it didn’t feel super foreshadowed, even with flashbacks to the past, and I feel that there were ways that could have happened. so like, a lot of the horror elements didn’t work.
overall this is pretty good, though! yay!!!!
⭐️=3.75 | 😘=2 | 🤬=3 | ⚔️=5 | 15+
summary: basically it’s about three queer people in a homophobic small town and a mysterious forest and a house but that’s a bad summary and I don’t know if the book itself even lives up to its premise?? (though it’s still good)
thoughts: so.
things I liked:
- this had really, really excellent pacing; everything was fast and moving forward in a way that made sense for both YA and horror.
- loved the characters! distinct in personality and experiences of queerness.
things I didn’t get:
- the entire supernatural element was kind of confusing to me? like it didn’t feel super foreshadowed, even with flashbacks to the past, and I feel that there were ways that could have happened. so like, a lot of the horror elements didn’t work.
overall this is pretty good, though! yay!!!!
June 3, 2025
A creepy house in the forest, a missing friend, and 2 girls with incomplete memories.
I was ready for a good creepy read. And while I did find the house interesting, I didn't find this as creepy as I'd hoped. This felt more of a coming of age, these three girls sorting through their emotions and feelings and finding first love (but love that their parents wouldn't accept).
I did love the addition of the play - the idea of nonbinary roles. I liked a few of their little moments as they tried to sort their emotions. But I had definitely hoped this would have more spooky feel - and there are definitely a few creepy moments - it just wasn't the full focus of the plot. Cute, sweet and I did love the sweet moments of new love.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I was ready for a good creepy read. And while I did find the house interesting, I didn't find this as creepy as I'd hoped. This felt more of a coming of age, these three girls sorting through their emotions and feelings and finding first love (but love that their parents wouldn't accept).
I did love the addition of the play - the idea of nonbinary roles. I liked a few of their little moments as they tried to sort their emotions. But I had definitely hoped this would have more spooky feel - and there are definitely a few creepy moments - it just wasn't the full focus of the plot. Cute, sweet and I did love the sweet moments of new love.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
October 8, 2024
OMG! I absolutely devoured this book! It was the perfect way to start out my October reading!
Come Out, Come Out is about three best friends who go into the woods one night, the same woods they had found safety in so many times before. But on that night everything changed. Only two left, but neither can remember why they were there, or anything about the friendship they all shared.
The story was told in a dual timeline with three POVs (two present, one past) and I love the way Parker wove the story together through the alternating POVs and timelines.
This story is so much more than your typical horror story. Yes there is some blood and gore, a twisted spirit and strange paranormal activity. But there’s a different horror in this story too. A horror that too many queer people face far too often. Jaq, Fern, and Mallory found each other when they were young for a reason. They were different, with secrets about who they were that they were too afraid to share. The danger in being exposed was real. Being outed would come with serious consequences. Then they found a place where they could be themselves. Where they could be free. But the spirit that lurked in the woods was not quite the spirit the stories described.
Come Out, Come Out is so many powerful stories all wrapped up in one. It’s a story about gender and sexuality exploration and trying to figure out who you are while dealing with parental, societal, and religious expectations. It’s a story about coming out and coming into yourself at the same time. It’s a story about crushes and young love and first kisses. It’s a story about the risk it takes to be yourself in a world that says who you are is wrong and needs to be “fixed.” It’s about the power of friendship and the importance of queer community and found family. It’s a story about the fear and terror that often come with being a queer person in this world, but also about the joy and hope that is just as much a part of queer existence and resistance. It’s a story that will grab you by the heart and not let go until the final sentence. The emotional aspects of this story mixed with the paranormal and horror elements magnified the impact for me and made it hard to put down. This book was everything I hoped for and more!
I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley and Penguin.
🏳️🌈Rep: Lesbian, Genderfluid, Bi/Pan
📝Tropes/Themes: YA Horror, Three POVs, Dual Timeline, Erased Memories, First Kiss, Queer Re-Awakening, Young Love, Gender/Sexuality Exploration, Paranormal, Theater
⚠️TW/CW: homophobia, transphobia, gender dysphoria, religious extremism, conversion therapy, depictions of: graphic violence, blood, body horror, self-harm
Come Out, Come Out is about three best friends who go into the woods one night, the same woods they had found safety in so many times before. But on that night everything changed. Only two left, but neither can remember why they were there, or anything about the friendship they all shared.
The story was told in a dual timeline with three POVs (two present, one past) and I love the way Parker wove the story together through the alternating POVs and timelines.
This story is so much more than your typical horror story. Yes there is some blood and gore, a twisted spirit and strange paranormal activity. But there’s a different horror in this story too. A horror that too many queer people face far too often. Jaq, Fern, and Mallory found each other when they were young for a reason. They were different, with secrets about who they were that they were too afraid to share. The danger in being exposed was real. Being outed would come with serious consequences. Then they found a place where they could be themselves. Where they could be free. But the spirit that lurked in the woods was not quite the spirit the stories described.
Come Out, Come Out is so many powerful stories all wrapped up in one. It’s a story about gender and sexuality exploration and trying to figure out who you are while dealing with parental, societal, and religious expectations. It’s a story about coming out and coming into yourself at the same time. It’s a story about crushes and young love and first kisses. It’s a story about the risk it takes to be yourself in a world that says who you are is wrong and needs to be “fixed.” It’s about the power of friendship and the importance of queer community and found family. It’s a story about the fear and terror that often come with being a queer person in this world, but also about the joy and hope that is just as much a part of queer existence and resistance. It’s a story that will grab you by the heart and not let go until the final sentence. The emotional aspects of this story mixed with the paranormal and horror elements magnified the impact for me and made it hard to put down. This book was everything I hoped for and more!
I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley and Penguin.
🏳️🌈Rep: Lesbian, Genderfluid, Bi/Pan
📝Tropes/Themes: YA Horror, Three POVs, Dual Timeline, Erased Memories, First Kiss, Queer Re-Awakening, Young Love, Gender/Sexuality Exploration, Paranormal, Theater
⚠️TW/CW: homophobia, transphobia, gender dysphoria, religious extremism, conversion therapy, depictions of: graphic violence, blood, body horror, self-harm
August 16, 2024
This is a brilliantly written novel, focused on several teens’ journeys of acceptance of themselves. Being LGBTQ+ as a young adult, let alone a young teen, must be a scary, unsettling journey. And the main characters of this book do not take it all in stride. But the lessons that this book offers are amazing.
Fern is the youngest of four girls, being raised by a single mom. She is definitely what one might call a girly-girl. Fern is also a star. With a high school career in theater and sisters all pursuing the craft, Fern is just like she’s expected to be.
Kaitlyn came out a long time ago. Her parents fully supportive of her choices. When she is sharing one day, Fern and two other friends, Mallory and Jaq are all a bit jealous of Kaitlyn’s ability to just be. The three become best friends, keeping their gender identities under wraps, until suddenly Mallory disappears. It’s as if the three were never friends at all.
Jaq, like Mallory, is being raised in a strict Baptist household. While Jaq fits her parental expectations, Mallory rebels against them. Jaq has a long time boyfriend, attends church events, and would never dream of rebelling against her parents’ wishes.
Until suddenly, one night at a bonfire party, Jaq and Fern start having memories of Mallory. Who they once were. And life is about to get pretty freaky when they remember what happened five years ago.
I was so impressed with how this novel tackled these difficult years and topics. You can’t help but root for all these girls to embrace their true identities and be themselves. Because who you love doesn’t change who you are. Would highly recommend!!!
Fern is the youngest of four girls, being raised by a single mom. She is definitely what one might call a girly-girl. Fern is also a star. With a high school career in theater and sisters all pursuing the craft, Fern is just like she’s expected to be.
Kaitlyn came out a long time ago. Her parents fully supportive of her choices. When she is sharing one day, Fern and two other friends, Mallory and Jaq are all a bit jealous of Kaitlyn’s ability to just be. The three become best friends, keeping their gender identities under wraps, until suddenly Mallory disappears. It’s as if the three were never friends at all.
Jaq, like Mallory, is being raised in a strict Baptist household. While Jaq fits her parental expectations, Mallory rebels against them. Jaq has a long time boyfriend, attends church events, and would never dream of rebelling against her parents’ wishes.
Until suddenly, one night at a bonfire party, Jaq and Fern start having memories of Mallory. Who they once were. And life is about to get pretty freaky when they remember what happened five years ago.
I was so impressed with how this novel tackled these difficult years and topics. You can’t help but root for all these girls to embrace their true identities and be themselves. Because who you love doesn’t change who you are. Would highly recommend!!!
October 5, 2024
My main problem with this was that I don’t think the main genre should’ve been labeled as horror. This was more of a contemporary LGBTQ+ in my opinion. Horror felt more like an afterthought to me. The story was good, I liked the overall LGBTQ+ aspects and how this story showed the interpersonal struggles of being LGBTQ.
All that being said, I originally picked this up because of it existing under the horror genre and I felt incredibly underwhelmed in this aspect.
If I was rating this book based off of contemporary LGBTQ+, I’d rate it 4/5 stars. If I rated this book based off of horror, I’d give it 2/5 stars which led to my compromise of 3/5 stars.
All that being said, I originally picked this up because of it existing under the horror genre and I felt incredibly underwhelmed in this aspect.
If I was rating this book based off of contemporary LGBTQ+, I’d rate it 4/5 stars. If I rated this book based off of horror, I’d give it 2/5 stars which led to my compromise of 3/5 stars.
November 5, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4 ✨
*Review to come*
*Review to come*
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